2018 Golden Crab Gratitude Awards

Who really makes your life worth living? Think about it.

You don't choose your family, friends are chosen but are more about values not vision.

If you're a person of purpose - who, this past year helped you professionally the MOST.

Did you tell them?

Each year, I spend some serious time walking backwards through my calendar and mapping out my most meaningful moments, personal achievements, high points, at whose feet I sat and learned the most and at whose side I had the most fun living my purpose.

And then I make it crazy weird and tell them in this wicked awkward way.

What is the "Golden Crab" part all about? It's kind of a longer story, you can read that by clicking here. And you can see who I've named to this award for the past seven years here in 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 when I came up with this idea. These powerful professionals are still part of my life, pivotal players in all I do.

So who are these people this year? Let's begin...

I call him, the mad scientist. Jason Shim, the only Canadian to win a NonProfit Technology NTEN award, one of the first in fundraising to figure out how to process cryptocurrency donations, co-convener of charity sector tech-nerds, curator of all things digital in nonprofit and a relentless lifelong learner. History mistakenly refers to Merlin as a magician when really he was just a curious SOB who wanted to change the world. This is Jason Shim. And although we've known each other for years, it was in 2017 that he rocked my world. Whether it was his generosity in giving ME books ( anyone who knows me knows I am a mobile library ) that inspired and educated. Or collaborating on a speaking session at Canada's biggest fundraising conference where he blew my mind in the session even though I was his co-presenter. To sending so many new people my way and causing a massive injection of new ideators into my network, the biggest new cohort in years. He is human alchemy and his mental chemistry changed my entire outlook and the course of my life this year.

I have in my network, countless rising stars. Let me confess that I am not a superior investor of my finances, but I pride myself on having a Buffetish eye for talent in the charity sector. But spotting stars is just a hobby, I watch LinkedIn instead of sports. It may make me happy to know that I'm contributing to the careers of future leaders but it's those rare few who give me the gift of not just being their secret weapon but allow me to be present at moments of choice, crossroads, dilemma and invite me to witness and collaborate on their success. I don't get to hear about their win later, I'm in the stands as they score the goal because they sent me tickets to the game. Serena Hak is that person this year. In 2017 she became the youngest Chapter Chair of our professional association and a critical player in the success of one of Canada's most exciting philanthropic experiments: The Donor Motivation Program. I can't call out Serena without mentioning her mentor and peer, a leader we both share great admiration for Keith Thompson. Just observing his investment in Serena in her work and professional life was like watching a coach support a superior athlete to reach the highest pinnacle of their sport - before the story is turned into a movie. No one gets to learn from these long-play strategies and both Keith and Serena have been so generous to me as they cultivated personal and public success. They have transformed my work and professional life with this great gift of collaboration. Her story is just beginning, I'm grateful to be on her team, pre-IPO.

Have you ever not wanted to jinx something for fear it would ruin the magic of the idea? In 2017 my entire life converged in the work of one person. My work allows me to travel the country engaging in philanthropic projects that blow my mind but secretly it has always made me sad I didn't get to do this in my own hometown where I was born, Toronto. It's no secret that I carved the name of my professional joy into my arm because my life purpose is the legacy of every Canadian. But I wasn't able to contribute to the organization I think will be the most transformational in my own city in a collaborative way. And then Sharon Avery became the CEO of the Toronto Foundation and invited me to hang out with her team as they set about building the next generation strategy of philanthropy in Canada's biggest city, my home. Add to that her leadership experience in my profession of fundraising, the access to learn from her team and understand this movement of Community Foundations that will change our country for the next 150 years and our shared passion for learning how to make change...well it's like a michelin star chef asks if you want to hang out while they cook. No one gets to be a prophet in their own home they say, but being there while masterpieces are made is a privilege to cherish and be grateful for.

My last MVP works with Sharon but I'm grateful to him in a different way. Much like Serena, he stepped into the responsibility of his potential in 2017, lit up like a star and invited me to the lighting ceremony. Aneil Gokhale became a Director of Philanthropy at Toronto Foundation where he has worked for several years. And in collaborating exponentially in 2017 I was able to observe authentic excellence in work and life in a way that inspired me beyond words. To my joy he invested in our shared CAGP community, and also allowed me to observe the results of the Community Foundation movement's great instruments making music. But it was our discussions as fellow peers of the same stage as men, fathers, citizens and professionals that made me realize that I could be all of what I desire, at once. Honestly I wasn't sure it was possible until Aneil invited me onto his team for this year's winning. The greatest gift someone you admire can give is making the time to share with you how they were made. Understanding the roadmap of Aneil's journey has allowed me to share his story of human becoming catalyst with the many people I help along their path so that they believe a normal person can become great. Person as purpose, it's possible. Who knew.

Two shoutouts before I finish this gratitude story:

1) Writer Susan Fish featured my comments in several of her articles in Canada's most-read publication in the charity sector, CharityVillage. A number of these articles were the most-read of the year in their Village Vibes newsletter. I'm grateful to Susan for giving me a voice on a number of topics I never felt safe to speak out about because they vex me but are controversial topics. Her articles framed my voice among others and in the solutions she suggested allowed me to become part of the solution and not the collective whine and lament that kept me from speaking out. More importantly our discussions on these topics, and the deep thinking they caused me to make time for are the building blocks to give me the courage to be better, learn more, speak out and be intentional about listening and learning from peers, publications and the zeitgeist of our sector.

2) Anyone who knows me knows that the Canadian Association of Gift Planners is less my professional affiliation and more my professional religion. But it was going deeper and playing more with these three other groups that transformed my 2017:

• I visited 16 of the 21 Chapters of the Association of Fundraising Professionals all across Canada. And while I was often a featured speaker, it was the quiet time with their executives and members, listening and learning about regional issues, challenges, culture and tactics that has given me such a truly deeper perspective on our profession. I'm so deeply grateful to all of them, and the national team for their generosity, hospitality and gift of their mentorship ( and patience for my at times bothersome curiosity and Toronto-centric ignorance ).
• The Community Foundation movement, in my humble opinion holds the building blocks of what the future of philanthropy will look like in Canada - certainly they hold the key to the success of Planned Giving (again my opinion). But holy crap have I not understood what that means for years. And over the past few years in my work with CanadaHelps I have been able to visit, sit and learn from and try to understand the movement with almost 100 of the 191 Foundations in Canada. It has been an honour to work with and collaborate, attend their gatherings and speak at their events and most importantly watch the impact they create first hand. It's blown my fragile mind and at times I feel like a superfan stalking his favourite band at every gig. But it's the soundtrack of my life at this point and I want to learn to play the music not just listen. I'm grateful to the many many Foundations who have let me jam with them in 2017 as I plunk away at the keys.
• Planned Giving is my purpose in life. But the charity sector is but one instrument in this orchestra and I'll spend my life in the pit with each section as long as I'm alive. I got to hang out with the horns in 2017, the Chartered Professional Accountant society of Canada ( CPA ). Speaking several times with the national professional education team and several Provincial bodies, with both charity CFO's and finance teams has given me the perspective on not just tax and administration but helped me advance insight into one aspect of what will make the best philanthropic philharmonic music possible. I'm grateful for the opportunity and hope to continue to go deeper with other teams like Advocis, CALU, Bar and Estate Planning Councils, Family Enterprise and all the other players who make a charity's opus possible.

At this point even I am thinking - Jeez Nazareth - who creates their own award and waxes poetic on their profession with such obsession and self-importance?!

Look eh. I'm a dork. I'm a nerd who just wants to learn, do a better job and make the music I was born to play. And if I die tomorrow, I just want the people who gave me a chance to learn from them know, you rocked my WORLD this year.

I told you it was going to get weird. But we don't get to do this often. I only do it once a year so please indulge me and let me say. Thank you.

And to you dear reader, if you've made it this far it probably means you're one of the hundreds I've met with in my daily netwalks, coffee meetings, conference chats, courses I teach and the network that makes my life possible.

Note: One of my rules is that I don't nominate people I currently work with because (I annoy them enough as it is and) it should be obvious, they are the best because I choose them every single day. If you don't know CanadaHelps and our team, you should. I work with world changers and all I'll say is that they're awesome and I count myself lucky to be on their team.

Ending my dorkish rant: It's never going to be a bed of roses, we weren't promised that right? But you are the light in my tiny little world and I want you to know I'm crazy grateful and know that I'm nothing without you. So thanks. My goal for 2018 is to keep learning, keep helping people on their journey and help every Canadian with purpose to find it and create their own legacy in this life. Hope we can help each other along the way friend.

Rock on.